Liner pulling device



y 5, 1936, c. WHITE El AL 2,039,371

LINER PULLING DEVICE Filed Nov. 11, 1935 A5 x j /4 I W J fNl/fNTOR CLARzs/vcE WHITE OLIVER ASGRAHAM A rroa IVEK Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LINER PULLING- DEVICE Clarence White, Walnut Park, and Oliver B. Graham, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Oil Well Manufacturing Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application November 11, 1935, Serial No. 49,244

11 Claims. (01. 29-882) Our invention relates to devices for pulling an insert member from a bore. The device and the equivalent embodiments thereof are adapted for pulling various pieces of equipment from oil well adjustable to operate on slush pumps, or the like, having various distances between the inner end of the liner and the entrance of the bore in which the liner is inserted. I

pump tubing, such as valves and. liners, and. for It is another object of the invention to provide pulling the liner from the bore of a slush pump. in a device of the character described a resilient It is in connection with the latter use that we have means for normally expanding the puller memillustrated the device in the drawing. It should bers of the device, and a means for automatically be understood, however, that we do not intend the contracting the pullers against the action of the scope of the invention to be limited to use in conresilient means when the device is positioned for nection with slush pumps or for use solely in insertion into the cylinder of a liner and. a force pulling liners from pumps, this embodiment being is applied thereto in one direction. chosen merely for the purposes of illustration and Another object of the invention resides in the description. provision of a means for applying a longitudinal It is one of the objects of our invention to proforce to the stem carrying the pulling mechanism vide a device operable from the exterior of a body, described above. such as a slush pump, to engage an insert member It is another object of the invention to provide in a bore within the body, such as cylinder liner, a device which includes the means for applying the device being operable to exert forces suflicient the longitudinal force to the stem as described to break the liner loose from the bore in which it above which means comprises a bridge member is inserted and to withdraw the liner therefrom. extending across the entrance of the bore, the

It is another object of our invention to provide bridge member being free for lateral movement a device of the character mentioned above which away from the stem, a nut threadedly engaging includes pulling mechanism automatically operathe stem and contacting the bridge member to ble to grasp the liner and includes means to exert apply the mentioned force, and means for prea pulling force on the liner. venting lateral movement of the bridge member It is another object of the invention to provide relative to the stem while such force is being a pulling mechanism carried by a longitudinally applied. 1 m va le s ern ex n i in h r the grasp- Another object of the invention resides in the 'Ing means including a plurality of pullers operaprovision of a liner pulling device of the charble to laterally retract for entrance into the cylinacter described in the above paragraph in which d f th in a d operable y the l tud a the means for preventing lateral movement of the movement of t e s em t laterally e p d into bridge relative to the stem comprises, a hub porengegement With the liner for pulling the S tion formed on the bridge and having a laterally from the bore. facing slot adapted to receive the stem; and a nut Another object of the invention resides in the threadedly engaging the stem, which nut is pro provision Of a Pulling mechanism including a P vided with an axial recess adapted to receive the rality of pu d including p v a s for hub portion when the nut is threaded on the stem, laterally nt a t n h pullers t pass hr u h the interlocking relation of the hub portion with y d s of va u diameters W t ut adjustm nt the recess preventing the lateral movement of the of the mechanism. bridge member away form the stem.

An additional object resides in the pIOVlSlOll Of These and gther objects as wall as several im. a pulling mechanism which s carried y a l nsiportant features of the invention, will be appartudinally movable stem extending into a bore and m; from a, perusal of the following part of the which includes Pullers Operable by a longitudinal specification in connection with the accompanyforce imparted to the mechanism by movement of ing drawing and the appended claims. the stem in one direction, to contract the pullers In the drawing: so that they will pass through the cylinder of a Fig. 1 is a lonigtudinal fragmentary section pump liner or the like; and which is operable by a through a cylinder, such as the cylinder of a force imparted thereto by movement of the stem slush pump, and illustrates the manner in which in the opposite direction, to expand the pullers the device embodying the features of our inveninto engagement with the liner for pulling same tion is installed for the operation of pulling a from the bore. liner from the pump cylinder.

It is still another object of the invention to pro- Fig. 2 is a fragmentary broken section taken as vide a device of the character described which is indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the pulling mecha nism included in our invention.

Fig. 4 is a section taken as indicated by the line 44 of Fig. 1.

With reference to Fig. 1 of the drawing, we show the device positioned for the operation of pulling a liner from a pump bore and in this connection the numeral ll indicates the pump body having a bore [2 therein. l3 indicates the insert liner in the form of a sleeve providing the pump cylinder l4, and [5 indicates the outer opening in the pump body coaxial with the bore 12 through which the liner is inserted and removed from the bore. For the purpose of simplicity in the description, the bore l2 and the outer opening I5 will hereinafter be referred to as the bore of the pump, and the removable liner l3 will hereinafter be referred to as the insert member.

It should be clear before proceeding further with the description that although we have illustrated our pulling device in an operable position in a vertical bore, the use of the device is in nowise limited to use in this position. The device has been shown in this position for convenience only, and in most instances when used for pulling liners from slush pumps and the like will be utilized in a horizontal position.

Coming now to a description of the details of the embodiments shown, the invention comprises generally a pulling mechanism 20 carried by an elongated threaded stem 2| and a means for imparting longitudinal movement to the stem 2|, which means is generally designated by the numeral 23.

The pulling mechanism 26 includes a body 25 secured to the lower or inner end of the stem 2| as by a threaded connection 26 substantially in the manner shown.

Formed on diametrically opposed sides of the body 25 are recesses 21 and 28, the walls forming these recesses providing upper cam surfaces 29 and 36 and forming oppositely disposed pairs of relatively spaced laterally extending wings 3| and 32. The upper surfaces of these relatively spaced pairs of wings provide lower cam surfaces 33 and 34. The upper cam surfaces 29 and 36 and the lower cam surfaces 33 and 34 are relatively spaced and are preferably substantially parallel and form non-axial planes; that is, these cam surfaces are formed to extend divergently upward and outward at oblique angles relative to the longitudinal axis of the stem 2| substantially in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

The invention includes a plurality of puller members 35 and 36 each having a lower grasping portion 31 and an upper hanger element 38, the hanger elements being adapted for disposal between the spaced upper and lower cam surfaces for travel thereon. The preferred form of hanger element comprises a substantially T-shaped head 40, providing laterally extending lugs 4| and 42, adapted to engage the surfaces of the relatively spaced laterally extending wings 3| and 32 so that the body portions of the pullers 35 and 36 are dependent between these wings and are swingable relative thereto, substantially in the manner shown in Fig. 3. The grasping portions 31 of the pullers 35 and 36, comprise preferably outwardly extending hook portions, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, which hook portions are adapted to engage the peripheral rim of the liner 13 when the pulling device is positioned therein, in a manner which will be hereinafter described.

Although we prefer to use grasping portions of the form shown, various other forms of grasping means might be utilized without departing from the range of equivalents to which our invention is entitled.

The portions of the body 25 forming the inner walls of the recesses 21 and 28 are shaped to provide, at the lower ends of these recesses, outwardly extending fulcrum portions 46 and 41 which are engaged by the inner sides of the depending pullers 35 and 36 for a purpose which will be described in connection with the operation of our invention.

The invention includes means for limiting the travel of the hanger elements 38 on the upper and lower cam surfaces of the body. This means includes a guard member 56, screwed or otherwise secured to the upper portion of the body and providing a lower flared portion 5| which extends outwardly and downwardly over the space between each relatively spaced pair of upper and 'lower cam surfaces to limit the outward movement of the hanger elements. The inner walls 45 of the recesses 21 and 28 comprise the means for limiting the inward travel of the hanger elements 38.

Our invention also includes a means associated with the pullers 35 and 36 for normally spreading or expanding the grasping portions 31 thereof laterally. For this purpose we prefer to use resilient means, such as a spring engaging the pullers 35 and 36, for the relative spreading thereof.

One form of this preferred means includes, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, a spring having a central portion 6| connected to the body 25 in such a manner as to have a limited vertical movement relative thereto. The spring 60 includes a pair of opposed arms 62, the lower portions 63 of which are extended through eyelets formed on the lower portions of the pullers 35 and 36 for the reception of the spring arms 62, substantially as shown. We prefer to form hook portions 63 on the lower ends of the arms 62 as by bending the ends of the arms 62 inward, in the manner shown, to prevent disengagement of the arms 62 from the openings 64.

In other instances, we might associate the eyelets providing the openings 64 and the lower ends of the arms 62 in the relation of hinges which pivotally connect the lower ends of the spring arms 62 to the pullers 35 and 36, since it is not necessarily intended that there should be relative movement therebetween in the preferred form of our invention.

In this preferred form, we provide on the lower portion of the body 25 a pair of relatively spaced downwardly extending side plates 65 which are preferably co-extensive with the inner surfaces of the relatively spaced pairs of wings 3| and 32, as best shown in Fig. 3, and thus serve to assist in guiding the lateral movement of the swingable pullers 35 and 36.

The side plates 65 cooperate to provide a space .66 below the body 25 which serves conveniently for the reception of the upwardly extending central portion 6i of the spring 66. As shown, the central portion 65 of the spring is formed preferably by a loop which provides an opening 61 through which a bolt 68 may be extended. Formed in each of the side plates 65 is an elongated slot 69 which extends vertically and preferably is in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the stem 2i in the body 25. The bolt 68 is extended through the slots 69 and serves as the means for connecting the spring 66 to the body for limited movement relative thereto as for a purpose to be described in connection with the operation of our device.

Our invention includes in combination with the pulling mechanism above described a means for moving the stem 2| longitudinally in the bore for operation of the pulling mechanism 20 and for imparting a pulling force on this mechanism to pull the liner l3 from the bore. a

This means which has been previously generally designated by the numeral 23 includes a bridge member 15, having an elongated body portion 16 provided at each end thereof with a pressure foot 11, adapted to engage an outer surface 18 of the pump body H so that the body portion I6 is extended across the bore l2, substantially in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the body portion 16 of the bridge member is provided with an upwardly projecting hub portion 19 having an upper substantially flat pressure surface 80. In one side of the body portion 16 and extending through the upwardly extending hub I9 thereof is 2. laterally facing slot 8|, the wall 82 forming the inner end of the slot being arcuated, as shown in Fig. 2, preferably on the longitudinal axis of the bore l2 when the bridge member is positioned in its operative position shown in Fig. 1. The laterally opening slot 8| is adapted to receive the stem 2| in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the bridge member being free of lateral movement away from the stem 2|.

A nut 99, threadedly engaging the stem 2| and adapted to pressurally engage the pressure surface 80 when the nut is threaded downwardly on the stem, comprises the means of the invention for imparting a longitudinal force on the pulling mechanism 20.

The invention also includes a means for preventing lateral movement of the bridge member 16 relative to the stem while such a force is being imparted to the stem to obviate slippage of the bridge member while the liner l3 is being pulled from the bore. One convenient form of accomplishing this function comprises a downwardly facing annular recess, provided in the nut 90 and which is adapted to receive the hub portion 19 of the bridge member in an interlocking relationship, so that the annular wall forming the recess closes the laterally facing slot 8| in the bridge during operation to effectively prevent lateral movement of the bridge relative to the stem 2|, as mentioned above.

The preferred form of nut 90 includes walls forming a downwardly facing annular recess 92 in the lower surface of the nut, into which recess We prefer to position an annular thrust bearing 93. the lower race 94 of which is adapted to engage the pressure surface 80 of the hub in a manner best shown in Fig. 1. Suitable retaining means, such as an annular collar 95, may be pressed into or otherwise associated with the recess to retain the bearing 93 therein, as indicated by dotted lines 96 in Fig. 2.

Coming now to a description of the operation of our invention it should again be made clear that the device is adapted to be utilized either in a vertical or horizontal position. It should therefore not be implied when we use the term upper or lower in connection with various parts of the mechanism in the specification or the appended claims that we intend to specify vertical or horizontal positions. The term upper or lower should thus be interpreted to refer to relative positions of various parts of the device with respect to the outer end of the bore regardless of whether the bore extends in a horizontal or a vertical position. I s

In the operation of pulling an insert member, such as the liner l3, from a bore, the stem 2| upon which is carried the pulling mechanism 29 r is inserted into the bore in engagement with upper or outer end of the insert l3. In the event that the liner I3 is of such a diameter that the grasping portions 31 of the pullers 35 and 36 will not pass through the cylinder Id of the liner in their normal expanded position, a downward force exerted on the stem 2| will cause the hanger elements 38 to be forced into contact with the upper cam surfaces 29 and 30. Continuation of this applied force will cause the hanger elements 38 to be cammed laterally outward by the cam surfaces 29 and 39 which results in a lateral inward retracting movement of the grasping members 31, due to the function of the fulcrum portions 46 and 41 engaging the center portions of the pullers 35 and 36. When the grasping portions 31 have been sufficiently retracted against the action of the spring 60 to pass within the cylinder I, the pulling mechanism may be passed along the cylinder until the grasping portions 31 have completely passed therethrough. When this occurs, the spreading action of the spring 60 will cause the grasping portions 3! to move laterally outward toward their normal expanded position so that the outwardly extending hook portions thereof will engage the lower or inner peripheral rim of the liner l3, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 1.

With the parts of the pulling mechanism in the relative positions just described, the nut 90 may be positioned on the stem to'allow sufficient clearance between the nut and the outer surface 18 of the pump body so that the bridge member 16 may be positioned on the stem by a lateral movement relative thereto, whereupon the nut 90 may be threaded downwardly on the stem 20 until the complementary parts of the nut and the bridge member are in the interlocking positions shown in Fig. 1.

It will be clear that a subsequent threading of the nut 90 on the stem 2| will result in a longitudinal movement of the stem in the direction of the arrow A of Fig. l, which movement imparted to the body will cause the lower cam surfaces 33 and 34 to cam the hanger elements 38 in lateral inward directions, which movement will be transmitted by the fulcrum portions 46 and 41 to force the grasping portions 31 outwardly to tightly engage the liner l3.

Continued application of. the strain on the stem 2| will build up suflicient force to break the liner loose from the bore l2 and to withdraw the same therefrom.

An important feature of our invention is that when the liner l3 has been sufficiently loosened in the bore so that it is no longer necessary to apply a pulling force by use of the nut 99, the nut may be unthreaded to allow the bridge member to be moved laterally away therefrom, thus allowing the liner to be lifted or drawn from the bore without the necessity of lifting the necessarily massive bridge member I6 at the same time. This feature frequently obviates the necessity of utilizing machinery for lifting the insert member and pulling device from the bore, time the mechanism can be conveniently handled in two completely separate parts.

The interlocking relationship of. the hub 19 with the recess formed in the nut 99 or the interlocking of the hub with the annular retaining col--' lar 95, as shown in the preferred form of the invention, is likewise an important feature of the invention. This feature allows the bridge member to be formed as a separable part, as above described, and obviates the danger of the bridge member slipping from its proper centralized relation with the bore while the sometimes necessarily enormous strains are placed thereon.

It will likewise be seen that the provision of both the upper and lower cam surfaces of the pulling mechanism is an important feature for the reason that the operation of the pulling mechanism is thereby made fully automatic. In other words, the pulling mechanism may be inserted into various sizes of. liners and the pullers 35 and'\ 36 may be caused to automatically contract to pass therethrough without previous adjustment. Likewise, the positioning of the grasping members 31 in grasping position on the liner is automatically accomplished through the action of the spring 60. The grasping portions are automatically caused to pressurally engage the liner with a force proportional to the pulling force applied to the stem, so that regardless of the degree of strain that it is necessary to apply to the insert member to break the same loose from the bore, slippage between the grasping portions and the insert member is impossible.

Although we have herein described in connection with the drawing only one complete embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that we are aware of various other embodiments of the device coming within the scope of the invention as interpreted by the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a device for pulling an insert sleeve from a bore, the combination of: a stem carrying a block adapted to be extended into said bore; means associated with said stem for moving said block longitudinally in said bore; relatively spaced upper and lower cam surfaces provided on opposite sides of said block; pullers having grasping portions and having hanger elements disposed between said spaced cam surfaces for travel thereon; a spring having a center portion connected to said block for limited movement relative thereto, said spring having opposed arms engaging said pullers for normally expanding said grasping portions laterally; and fulcrum portions engageable by said pullers whereby lateral movement imparted to said hanger elements by movement of said block in either direction is transmitted to said grasping portions for lateral expansion or contraction thereof.

2. In a device for pulling an insert sleeve from a bore, the combination of: a stem carrying a block adapted to be extended into said bore; means associated with said stem for moving said block longitudinally in said bore; relatively spaced upper and lower cam surfaces provided on said block; pullers freely depending from said block, said pullers having hanger elements disposed between said spaced cam surfaces for travel thereon and having grasping portions; means detachably carried by said block for limiting the travel of said hanger elements on said cam surfaces; and fulcrum portions slidably engaged by said pullers whereby lateral movement imparted to said hanger elements by movement of said block in either direction is transmitted to said grasping portions for lateral expansion or contraction thereof.

3. In a device for pulling an insert sleeve from a bore, the combination of a stem carrying a block adapted to be extended into said bore; means associated with said stem for moving said block longitudinally in said bore; relatively spaced upper and lower cam surfaces provided on opposite sides of said block; pullers having grasping portions and having hanger elements disposed between said spaced cam surfaces for travel thereon; means carried by said block for limiting the travel of said hanger elements on said cam surfaces; a spring having a center portion connected to said block for limited movement relative thereto, said spring having opposed arms engaging said pullers for normally expanding said grasping portions laterally; and fulcrum portions engageable by said pullers whereby lateral movement imparted to said hanger elements by movement of said block in either direction is transmitted to said grasping portions for lateral expansion or contraction thereof.

4. In a device for pulling an insert member from a bore provided in a body, the combination of: a stem extending into said bore; mechanism carried by said stem for grasping said insert; a bridge member extending across said bore in abutment with said body and being free for lateral movement away from said stem; means associated with said stem and said bridge member for applying a longitudinal force on said stem for pulling said insert from said bore; and means for preventing lateral movement of said bridge relative to said I stem while said force is being applied.

5. In a device for pulling an insert member from a bore provided in a body, the combination of: a stem extending into said bore; mechanism carried by said stem for grasping said insert; a abridge member extending across said bore and having a central hub partly encompassing said stem, said member being free for lateral movement away from said stem; means associated with said stem and said bridge member for applying a longitudinal force on said stem for pulling said insert from said bore; and means for preventing lateral movement of said bridge relative to said stem while said force is being applied.

6. In a device for pulling an insert member from -a bore provided in a body, the combination of: a stem extending into said bore; mechanism carried by said stem for grasping said insert; a bridge member extending across said bore and having a central hub portion including walls forming a laterally facing slot for receiving said stem, said member being free for lateral movement away from said stem; means associated with said stem and said bridge member for applying a longitudinal force on said stem for pulling said insert from said bore; and means for preventing lateral movement of said bridge relative to said stem while said force is being applied.

7 A combination as defined in claim 4 in which said means for applying said longitudinal force to said stem comprises a nut threadedly engaging said stem and pressurally engaging said bridge member.

8. In a device for pulling an insert member from a bore, the combination of: a stem extending into said bore; mechanism carried by said stem for grasping said insert; a nut threadedly engaging said stem, said nut having walls forming a downwardly facing axial recess therein; a bridge member extending across said bore and having a hub portion; walls forming a laterally facing slot in said hub portion adapted to receive said stem, said recess receiving said hub portion to prevent lateral movement of said bridge member relative to said stem when said nut is threaded thereon to impart longitudinal movement to said stem.

9. A combination as defined in claim 4 in which said mechanism for grasping said insert includes: relatively spaced upper and lower cam surfaces on opposite sides of said stem; pullers having grasping portions and having hanger elements disposed between said spaced cam surfaces for travel thereon; and fulcrum portions engageable by said pullers whereby lateral movement imparted to said hanger elements by movement of said block in either direction is transmitted to said grasping portions for lateral expansion or contraction thereof.

10. In a device for pulling an insert sleeve from a bore, the combination of a body adapted to be extended into said bore; relatively spaced upper and lower cam surfaces provided on said body; pullers freely depending from said body, said pullers having hanger elements disposed between said spaced cam surfaces for travel thereon; and fulcrum portions slidably engaged by said pullers.

11. In a device for pulling an insert sleeve from a bore, the combination of a body adapted to be extended into said bore; relatively spaced upper and lower cam surfaces provided on said body; pullers freely depending fromsaid body, said pullers having hanger elements disposed between said spaced cam surfaces for travel thereon and having grasping portions; resilient means associated with said pullers for normally expanding said grasping portions; and fulcrum portions slidably engaged by said pullers whereby travel of said hanger elements on said cam surfaces by movement of said body is imparted to said grasping portions for relative expansion or contraction thereof.

CLARENCE WHITE. OLIVER B. GRAHAM. 

